In a season known for high heat, it's the hidden humidity inside your home that could quietly take a toll.

High humidity indoors is linked to a range of health concerns, including aggravated asthma, allergies, and respiratory conditions such as COPD. Excess moisture in the air can trap pollutants and create an environment where mold, bacteria, and dust mites thrive, potentially leading to long-term health effects before symptoms become noticeable.

Doctors advise monitoring indoor humidity with a hygrometer and taking steps such as using exhaust fans, fixing leaks, and employing dehumidifiers in damp areas. The recommended indoor humidity range is between 30 and 50 percent. Tools like the AccuWeather indoor humidity feature can help individuals track and manage moisture levels to reduce health risks.

High humidity, hidden dangers

Humidity doesn't just make us sweat, it can make us sick, especially when the air inside our homes holds too much moisture. High humidity can trap pollutants, making breathing harder, and aggravate asthma and allergies. It also helps mold, bacteria, and dust mites to thrive. Doctors say human conditions can lead to respiratory flare-ups or worse, especially if you have bad allergies, asthma, or COPD. It can take a long time, a fair amount of irreversible damage until daily symptoms develop. We like to think of almost like the heart attack for the lungs. Warning signs might be subtle, wheezing, coughing, or just feeling off, but when the body can't cool itself in humid conditions, that stress can build. To stay ahead of it, use a hygrometer to track humidity levels indoors, run exhaust fans, fix leaks, and consider a dehumidifier in rooms that feel damp. Remember, it's more than just how you feel, so check the AccuWeather indoor humidity feature either online or on your phone. It will tell you whether it is dangerously dry, ideal, or dangerously humid. The sweet spot for indoor humidity? Between 30 and 50%, but on humid days or without proper ventilation, that number can climb fast. They try to control the setting until the humidity is better on the outside. And most patients are going to be able to tolerate some degree of humidity. In a humid summer, what's inside your home might matter as much as what's outside. For AccuWeather, I'm Leslie Hudson reporting.

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